Automatic train-controlling device.



A. L. B OWEH. AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROLLING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAH. IJ, I9I4. l

' Patented Apr. 9,19I&

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 'f z raannr oriana.

ABEAM L. BOWER, 0F BOYERTGWN, PENNSYTJVANIA AUTOMATIC TBAIN-CONTROLLINGDEVICE.

Application led March 1?', 1914.

ing thc brakes, in combination withmeans on the vehicle ldriven inaccordance with its movement along the trackway and capable of anoperative condition toward which it is constantly driven, with deviceson the traekway which reset those means away from operative condition.

In its/simplest form, the invention conn prises a brake valve,controlled by an elec tric circuit, a screw carried by a vertical shaftoperated by a worm gear on a drivingwheel axle of the vehicle, a rodsupported vertically on the screw and adapted to be carried downward bygravity and the move-v ment of the screw, the rod operating the brakevalvey and applying the brakes, either directly or by means of anelectric circuit.

when the vehicle has traveled a limited distance. Electrical means areused to -restore the rod to its upper position and prevent the brakeapplication'or permit the release of the brakes at certain positions onthe track-- way governed by clear tratiic ahead of the vehicle.

The invention has also for its object a sys; tem of signals operated bythev devices used which inform the engine'driver at all times as to theoperation of the devices and also the condition of the track ahead ofthe vehicle. l

This invention is an improvement on the devices shown in patentslnumbered 7 88513 and 832652, respectively granted to me on May 2, 1905and Oct. 9, 1906,1and in my seial applications numbered and datedas-fol- ,ows:-

Application Number 511818, tiled Aug. 7, 1909.

Application Number 750275, filed Feb. si, 1913.

Application Number 795301, iiled Oct. 15, 1913.

Figure l of the drawings accompanying this specification shows a planfor carrying out the objects stated.

' Fig. 2 shows a'track plan with overlaps,

conditions Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

Serial No. 825,385.

insulated rail sections and an insulated contact device on the vehicle.

Fig shows a'mechanical device for raising rod 72 to be described.

Fig. 4 shows a wheel contact with an insulated tire.

An axle A of the driving wheels DTV has a worm gear "Wl/V out therein.This gear engages a gear wheel GW carried by a vertical shaft S providedwith a screw cut about twelve threads to the inch and with the top ofthe threads practically horizontal and the bottom very muchv slanted topermit a spring support 69 carried by ay square rod 72 to travel upwardover the threads easily and to support the spring support and with itthe square rod von the top if anyone of the threads.l l

The square rod is loosely supported in a vertical position in squareholes 6G, 67 in a. support 63 bolted to the cab frame or iioor CF. Theshaft S is supported in a bearing 6l at the lower end of a support 62also bolted to the cab frame or iioor.

Shaft S has a hole H eut through it near its upper end and threeelectric lamps VL, BL, and OL, colored respectively violet, blue andorange are hidden back of this hole. A complete rotation of the shaftpermits these lights to be seen twice, These lamps are' clear signalspermitting full speed of the vehicle whenever they burn brightly;

Forward movementy of the train operates the gears and shaft in suchdirection as is necessary to carry the spring support 69 downward on thescrew 68.

For the purpose of giving an audible indication once during eachrotation of shaft S, a screw 82 is inserted in its side in the path of afree arm 83 of the clapper 86 of a gong 87. The drawing shows the armoperating in the same plane as shaft S. 1t is also possible to have thearm and clappcr operate in a plane at right angles to the shaft.

A solenoid Sl) incloses the upper end of rod 72 and is adapted to raisethe rod whenever the solenoid is energized. A collar 71 on the rodlimits its upward movement.

Two insulated spring contacts 24, 23 are attached to an insulatedmetallic plate 22 carried on top of the rod. Contact 24 is adapted toslide up successively over four insulated contacts 25, 3, 2 and lwhenever lll and Ll also Waenever the rod is drawn up. rt such tinies,contaet'23 strikes contact d soinetinie before contact 2i strikescontact 3. llvlhen the rod descends, the contact 23 passes troni contactto contact sometime after contact 241 has passedfrorn Contact 3 tocontact t red electric lanip RL and an electric bell Bl are the dangeror stop signals and a green anip GL and the bell Bl are the cautionaryign-als. A magnet BR operates a brake *aire BY when den'ergized andprevents he operation of the valve when energized. battery or generator20 energizes the lamp cell and magnet.

in electric current impulse is picked up icd to the edge ot the cab roofor side ot cab in a horizontal position parallel With tra clvvY ay. einsulated strip or rod engages a nietallic brush or Contact niounted onan its red signal post Sl). As the only requirement the transmission ofan electric current from an outside source to solenoid D. anytrain-carried Contact which properly engages a suitable stationarycontact rve the purpose. tir. is a hoinc relay and DE is a distant Thehome relay operates an arin e6 l 'ine' a front contact 4T connected by aairttlto a brush MB. The distant relay opates two arins and 95 whichserve as a le changer for u battery 97. @ne direc- .las

tions and the other direction ot current transmits cautionary signalconditions to the icle. .rrni 3lis connected to arm 46 by a ire 5. rin95 is connected by Wire 96 to the ground or traclr il 60. The brassstrip BS connected by Wife 9 to the solenoid. lvl/lire 1G connects thesoli lioid with a polarirled relay l v which is connected by Wire 11 toa round '12 or the engine traine.

rthe circuit is follows z-froin battery 97, to wire 31,' vwire contact33, ai'in Se, 'frire 15, arn'i contact 47, ivire 8, brush strip viresolenoid SD,

' 1 relay Wire 11, ground 12, ground wire arin 95, .contact 93 and Wire92 the battery. A

' irection of current transmits a clear opposite direction of currentautioiiary signal.

ansinits Battery 2G is connected by Wire 21 to c ontact plate 22, alsoby wire 40 to bell Bl and to a front Contact 98 ol the polarized relay,also liv green lainp to an insulated brass strip or rod BS aton otcurrent transmits clear signal c0ndi BR is constantly energized.

neeneoi Arm 35 of relay PR is connected by Wire1 .Wires 36 and 38 to theorange colored lamp lWire 5 connects lamp VL to contact 1. W ire Gconnects lamp BL to contact 2. `Wire Z connects lamp OL to Contact 3;The arrangement of the connections to the lainps, bell, battery, etc.,may be Varied as either multiple or series 'connections are permissible.Sonie ot this apparatus may be omitted ii:n the signals are not desired.The' signals are intended to give the enginedriver advance notice ofbrake operation vto perniitliiin to control his train himself. v

Fig. l shows conditions as found when the train has corne to a'standstill automatically except that brush MB will have been .passed andlett about one fourth bloclr length in the rear. An overlap ofone-fourth block length is desirable and in this overlap the dangersignals are displayed and the train stops4 automatically.

Halt-block overlaps are shown in Fiom llhis ligure represents a singletrack and shows part of the rails in tour blocks.

it 104 is shown an insulated rail section measuring from six tothirty'teet in length. The Wires Q6 and 8 shown in Fig. 1 are shownconnected here respectively torails 105 and 10i. Wires 11 and 9 areconnected respectively to a Wheel or ground `connec tion 140 touchingrail 105 and to an insulated Wheel tire, truck or brush 141, touching;the rail section 104i.

Jn a double traclnthe insulations 121 129, 12% and 132 could be omitted.rlhe hoine and distant relays are shown in Fig. 1. 7l'heir connection toF ig. 2 need not be shown as it is obvious.

The wheel shown in Fig. 4 has its tire 101 and hub 102 threaded to titapproximately and the space between the tire and hub is filled withfiber, rubber or other insulation. It rubber be used, it is inserted ina soft condition and then vulcanized. v i

The operation of the device is as follows: Normally the line is clearand rod 72 .never drops lov.' enough to cause contact 23 to leavecontact 4 and as a result the brake magnet The complete movement otrod'l2 down to the position shown requires travel of the vehicle throughabout one and one-eighth blocks.

Starting at a signal post SP with a clear track ahead, the current or"battery 97 raises rod 72 until collar Z1 strikes the lower edge 'ot thesolenoid. At 4the same time spring support 69 slides up and is supportedon a thread about ten threads higher up. The gears are designed toproduce about ten revolutions of shaft S in one block. Contact 2%touches Contact 1 and contact 23 touches contact e. The violet lamp VLis lighted. and

lli)

shines through hole H whenever the shaft S is in the position shown.Magnet BR is energized. The circuit is as follows: from battery 2O towire'- 40,wire 52, magnet BR, wire 5l, contact 4, contact 23, plate 22and wire 21 to the battery. From the battery, to'wire 40, contact 98,arm 35, wire 36, lamp VL, Wire 5, contact 1, contact 24,- plate22 andwire 21 to the battery.

The vehicle now travels about one-third block. Solenoid SD is notconnected to\bat A of the tery 97 now. Shaft'S has made about threerevolutions, exposing the rays of lampfV L six times and striking gong87 three times at intervals of six seconds, the train having a speed of`sixty miles per hour.

Spring support 69 has descended three threads and Contact 24 is justvsliding from Contact 1 ontov contact 2. While passing through t e nextone-tliird block length, the blue light y ill Hash six times and gong 87will sound three times. vThen contact 24 will touch contact 3 and thesame conditions will be repeated with the orange-colored lamp flashing.The circuit to this lamp is as follows r-from battery 20, to wire 40,contact 98,'arm 35, wire 36, wire 38, lamp OL, wire 7, contact 3,contact 24, plate 22, and wire 21 to the battery.

The train is now approaching the signal post SP and just after thesignal post is passed without a signal impulse being received frombattery 97, contact 24 will slide from contact 3 to contact 25 and redlamp RL will flash up and bell Bl will ring. This informs the driverthat 'the brakes will operate shortly afterward. The circuit is asfollows :from battery 2O to wire 40, bell Bl, wires 28v and 27, lamp RL,wire 26, contact 25, contact 24, plate 22 and wire 21 to the battery. Y

However, we do not expect the impulse to fail yet. Veexpect a cautionarysignal before a danger signal. Relay DR is denergized but relay HR isenergized and, the electric impulse is reversed and throws arm polarizedrelay over to the position Shown. f

The green lamp lights up now and since its resistance` and candle'poweris higher than that of the other lamps VL, BL and OL, the lattcr'burndimlyl in their proper turn but the green lamp burns brightly and bellBl rings.

The circuit is as follows :-from battery 20 to wire 40, bell Bl, wire28, greennlamp GL, wire 29, contact 30, arm 35, wire 36,

lamp VL, wire 5, contact 1, contact 24, plate 22 and wire 21 to thebattery.

Finally the signal post SP is reached and the electric impulse islacking. The red lamp'soon lights up,.and the green lamp goes out but.the bell continues to ring and a little later contact 23 slides fromcontact 4 onto lcontact 25. The brake magnet is den'ergized and thevalve operates and brings the train automatically to a standstill.

The rod 72 and connections are inclosed in-'a cabinet carrying theinspectorls seal.

The seal must now be broken and rod 72 must be pushed up as far as itwill go. rlhen the brakes may be released and the train may proceed.Another inspector will examine the seal of the cabinet 'and iinding itbroken, will require a report from the driver.

To be entirely safe, the driver should heed the danger signal and backto signal post SP and remain there until the solenoid is energized bybattery 97, which will occur as soon as the block ahead is unoccupied.This device is self checking of its own errors or of any cross or breakin the electrical circuits used. A failure of the current of battery 97to reach the solenoid will stop the train, a breakage of supports 62, 63or G will permit r'od 72 to drop and stop the train.

A failure of battery 2O or its connections will stop the train. Abreakdown of the insulation between 1, 2, 3, 4 and 25 will be detectedimmediately by its eifect on the lamps.

,The power operating the shaft is enormousas it multiplies the power ofaxle A. by the number of coge on the gear wheel GW.

My invention does not confine the means of raising rod 72 to electricalmeans. It is possible to have a stationary member moved into engagingposition to raise the rod when the road is clear, and withdrawn byinfluence of gravity when danger exists.

Such a device is shown in Fig. 3.

It consists of a bar'107. extending into the path of a long pivoted arm106 attached to lthe side of the locomotive in a horizontal position. Alspring 113 presses the arm outward a certain distance at its back end. Abentarm 112 pivoted at 110 and having a free end 111 resting against thelower end of the square rod 72 engages the free end of arm 106. 'Bar 107is shown in the clear position and it engages the side of arm 106,gradually pressing it inward which in turn presses in arm 112 and raisesthe end 111 and the square rod 72 sufficiently to clear the signals andenergize the brake magnet.-

Various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the inventio I claim v 1. In a vehicle, a Worm gear on a caraxle,

a gear wheel engagingthe worm gear, an

upright shaft carrying the gear wheel, a screw on the upright shaft,lsaid screw rotating with the shaft, an upright rod constantly ridingdownwardon the screw threads, a contact device controlled by the rod, acircuit including the contact device, a magnetvnormally energized by thecircuit, a train controlling device operated by the magnet together witha block controlled device de? the pmpee el leitung i y icl contzie and'ported en izlii'eecls,

ghi', lecl, together w .i

10i* lie purpose of raisin :mi liinticelly i'esux'xiiiig ment afterbeing raised by S vice.

i 3. le e. vehicle.y :m 1;' 'night Sheff; ee.

:i sci-ew mounecl cenceii' 'cally on said and ioteiilg ^ilieiewi^li, :ifleviee moving. in u., vertical plane and. wheeled en 'i tilleuls, eemile e0 'woll '15e epereed Off e. v Y a a' L e" the :L willi e. deviceresetting elle filet mentionv mentienefl device euieniei ewnwa'dmeveniee alle l L consta il l ieel n me el. seiten', c

cleifiee adapted be be Operated by a sufeent mm'enient of the forementioned device, togelier with a feseuing device, Said device beingedaptecl ite be operated ai; regular ineimls under elem' trellisconditions to prevent said eperaion of the 'wein cntrolling devi e,

5. An automatic train stop comprising a shaft erlengefl *Le beconstantly rotated by :m axle on the train, a Worm geel en Said Slie'e,a rider operating in a vertical plane between an upper limit and a lowerlimit *he Ll'ucads 0f the Worm gear, f A11g-che air brake systemj means'fw .em-isi said fider 'to Open said .li/'e Weenneer its lewe? limit,together Meli auemaic bleek controlled restoring means tending eo causeseid rider te appl'eeffls upper limit under clear tmfe cencliiens.

ABRAM L. BG-WEJR.

nmz B. i mem

